Darren Fletcher: Overcame a career-debilitating illness to continue playing at top-flight level. True professional, but not a dominant midfielder.

MarouaneFellaini: Confidence has been wrecked by what he may view as a regrettable decision to join United. In hindsight, should have stayed at Everton. Has become a Pariah for frustrated United supporters.

ShinjiKagawa: The Twitter parody account Evil Kagawa has been more of a hit than Kagawa's tenure at United. Does not fit into Van Gaal's plans, per AFP (h/t Japan Today). Kagawa is set to do a "Nuri Sahin" in returning to Borussia Dortmund, per Ruhr Nachrichten and Radio 91.2 (h/t Stephan Uersfeld at ESPN FC).

Tom Cleverley: He has the capacity to make more expansive passes. Though, he was so worried about giving up possession that he was trapped in the mindset of making backward and simple passes. On the verge of an £8 million transfer to Aston Villa, per John Percy at The Telegraph.

Ander Herrera represents what Van Gaal wants in a midfielder: creative on the ball and gritty without the ball.

If pushed into a corner, Van Gaal does not care about defending, which was represented in the decision to deploy Adnan Januzaj in central midfield against Sunderland.

"I have said that we need creative passing and I thought Januzaj could provide that," Van Gaal said, per Mark Froggatt at United's official website. "That is why I played Januzaj in midfield because as a coach I want to win."